Labour is to stage a Commons debate on tuition fees next Tuesday in a bid to expose Liberal Democrat divisions over the coalition's plans to treble tuition fees in breach of a manifesto promise by Nick Clegg's party.

The shadow cabinet has agreed to stage the debate after two mass demonstrations in London and a growing outcry at the way in which the government is handling the issue.

The Lib Dem parliamentary party is becoming so jumpy over how to vote when the orders raising the fees are put forward before Christmas that they are staging a series of private meetings with MPs to try to agree a position.

The option of the entire party abstaining has been discussed in line with the coalition agreement, but many Lib Dem ministers including Clegg have now gone so far as to support the rise as the best option possible.

Lib Dem MPs know they are taking a hammering in what was once their power base of young voters and students.

Lib Dem sources said they would be surprised if Labour did not hold such a debate since Labour did not itself have a policy on a graduate tax or any coherent alternative to raising fees.

It is often the case that the opposition-led debates tend to lead a divided government to reunite against a common political enemy. But there will be some Lib Dem MPs who are likely to abstain, or find themselves under further constituency pressure.

As many as 15 Lib Dem MPs have said they will oppose an increase in fees.

Gareth Thomas, the Labour higher education spokesman, said parliament was about to be asked to vote to make British universities some of the most expensive and worst-funded in the world without being allowed to consider in full through a white paper on how the government's plans are supposed to work for students and their families.

"Too many questions remain unanswered. That is unacceptable and I hope Liberal Democrat MPs and other MPs will join our call for the government to reconsider."